The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-12-24
REPUBLICANS IN FRANCE.
tFrom the New York aeralJ.I


France is unfortunate in her critics.
Grevey is driven from the preslden-
CIV by the ~sinsensate coalition OF war
ring factions in the chamber OF depu-
NJ. Clemenceau, so long regard
ed as one of the shrewdest statesmen
in France, proves to be "a tool" and
serves unwittingly the royalist cause.
M. Boulanger is "a circus rider"
while the royalists have succeeded in
discrediting "a form of government
they detest." And if France is called
upon to choose q president the republic
cans have no candidate worth mention
ing, while the royalist game is to elect
the most incapable nominee in the
ignoble hope that from his incapacity
and the national misfortunes to follow
such an election royalty may again
prevail.
This tendency to discredit the French
republic pervades the tones of many
sections Of American public opinion.
Whether we echo English or German
thought or the monarchial prejudices
of Europe generally, there is an i'm
preston that the French republic is a
a failure. This, according to the
average American mind, with opinions
regarding France formed on Thacke-
rays novels, is because the only thing
a Frenchman can do is to cook and
teach dancing, and because the only
people in the world who are fit for
self-goyernment are the sublime Amer
leans. There is nothing aristocratic
about the French republic, and If we
are anything in our foreign preferences
We are arlstocratic.
And yet something may be said for
this poor old frog eating French repub-
lie before it is banned out of good soci-
ETY. as an ill-bred, ill-conditioned ex-
pertinent. AS governments 60 the re-
public has done well. 1t has lasted
seventeen years and has only had three
presidents. 1t has not been respecta-
BILE, we admit, and when high German
potentates of the Hesse-D armstadt,
Mecklenburg- Schwerin and the Co
burg species-visit Paris it is generally
incognito, 80 they will not be compel.
ed to recognize so disreputable a con-
trivance. But this shabby republic
took poor, bleeding France, when all
life, all ambition had been tramped out,
frat by the Germans and then by the
COMMUNICATED Bismarck could have
prevented by raising his finger, but
somehow he did not want to, wishing
the Parisians to "stew in their own
jnice"-and raised her to her feet. Ii
paid the Prussian indemnity and liber-
.ated the soil. 1t pays ten millions a
year to keep French churches in order,
keeps over two million of children
annually at school, and although the
debts it inherited from the empire are
the greatest in the world, its credit is
among the first. Moreover, this wretch
ed republic keeps an army of 523, 1888
men, at an annual cost of about seven
ty-seven millions, while our unparalleled
ed republic spends forty-two millions
on an insignificant army of 25 1000 men.
This miserable, low born French
republic has not only maintained
French credit, but it has made France
in her army and navy N of the great
powers.
1t has been aEapublic of peace. Lay
ing aside that Tohquin business, which
may be called o momentary baseness OF
mind, the republic has been peaceful
under the severest provOcations. No
nation has been more assiduous in at
tending to her own affairs than France
under this discredited republic. Alli-
anoes have been made against her, a
new war has been arranged every
spring, there have been geyser like
spoutings of Boulangerism AMI Sam
bettaism, but in the main a comnenda-
BILE minding n9F<own business by
France, making from year to year her
high and admirable contribution to the
happiness of the world, doing her
share-and we are disposed to think
more than her share-toward the de-
velopment of a higher civilization
among men.
Is there anything which France could
do toward the hunanities of mankind
as a monarchy which she has not done
as a republic? Is France any less the
mighty, pnissant France, fair, beanti-
full and proud in her great renown, be-
cause the Elysee is inhabited, by q
practical, wise French gentleman and
not by some pampered fool OF a Coburg
or some scOundrel of a BonaparteI
Why should we despise the French re-
public or echo the revilings of the
ldiotic classes who moon up and down
the ~boulevards and mourn for the DAYS
of Louis the Well Beloved? To be
sure there is a crisis, but have we not
had q crisis now aud then in our own
incompatible and profound republic
assassinations, rebellions, impeach.
ments, electoral commissions? Have
we not seen in monarchial Europe
kings, and expresses even, skipping
about in false wigs and servile cos.
tunes to escape from their loving peo-
ple-nay, this Heaven Amounted
Hohenzollern, even the German Kaiser
himself, an exile around London2 II
is in human nature to have political
troubles, and Jules Grevy, through
stubbornness and unfortunate surround.
ings and having outlived his peoples
living, may go as Theirs and MacMahon
went before him.
That concerns France alone! 1t il
none of our business-no moro than il
would have been the business of Europe
if we had sent Andrew johnson home
to Tennessee, as we came near doing
twenty years ago. Johnsen's,successfu
impeachment would not have discredi.
ted the American republic. Why
should the resignation of Grevy dis.
credit the republic of France?
PUT COAL ON THE FREE LIST.
TErona kha Db;voI..L. D~.~.